Flats to Rent or Houses For Sale in Barnes London & SW13

Is Barnes the best kept secret in London? Wrapped as it is by the Thames to one side and the glorious Barnes Common to the other, Barnes is essentially a village still, to a degree that many areas pretend, but few achieve.

The Barnes area offers a huge range of properties for the middle to upper ranges of the budget. Huge Victorian houses and smaller cottages abound in the Castelnau/Lonsdale Roads, with terraces and cottages near the village's High Street. There are extremely desirable apartments; many larger properties are subdivided and mansion flats are also available. Developments such as Barnes Waterside feature both apartments and villas. Of course, the Thames comes into play very much with Barnes' property, and there are spectacular mansions built mainly in the Regency style lining the curve of the river. At the lower end of the scale, there are some ex-council properties in the north of the region.

Whilst Barnes is famed for its village atmosphere and many who live here come for, it's also perfect for those who fancy a bit more of a frenetic, fashionable lifestyle, with Fulham and Putney very close. There are great restaurants and great country style pubs in amongst the parks and cottages.

An area which has it all can't expect to be undiscovered for long, and prices in Barnes reflect this - although there are affordable flats and cottages if you look hard, and quick! This is an upscale, though low-key area of London prized for its sense of a rural, riverside idyll within easy reach of the bustle, but with privacy and gentility always on the menu.

Barnes is in the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames which holds the responsibility for delivering services in your area.
For specific information on this borough, or to contact individual departments please click here to visit their website.

Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames website: Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames

In General:
The London boroughs are administrative centres responsible for collecting local taxes (Council Tax and Business Rates) and then spending the funds received on local services. They are run by Borough Councils who are elected by borough residents on a four year cycle. The totals that they spend will depend on the rates of tax that they levy plus funds allocated from central government and other sources.

While many of the services (schools, roads, planning, rubbish collection and social services) are standard, levels of provision will vary according to the overall political will as expressed by the voters.

Your tax liability (as a resident) will be based on the council tax band of your home. These bands are set by Valuation Officers and there is scope for appeal. The rate bands are then used to determine the amounts of tax levied. So, while the bands will remain largely constant the levels of tax can go up and, in theory, down.

You may claim discounts or exemptions based on your circumstances. For example, as the only adult in a property you can get a 25% reduction on your bill. Other reductions are available for qualifying second adults and Council Tax Benefit claimants.

There is more information available at the HM Customs & Excise website.

Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames Council Tax